Voici ici la version en français.

Together with the Association des Communes du Burundi ("ACO-Burundi”), VNG International organized a 4-day training in Nyanza-Lac (Makamba province) from the 21st – 24th of March. Subject of training was the national guide for the elaboration of the participatory budget, in order to involve the population in the communal budget management and the promotion of fiscal civic-mindedness – as well as the mobilization of communal resources for the functioning of the communal land services.

"Participatory Budgeting" is a tool for planning and citizen participation in the development of the municipality and a process of participatory democracy in which citizens can mobilize and allocate part of the local authority's budget, usually for investment projects, while ensuring that the priority needs of the municipality are included.

The Nyanza-Lac training was attended by around 30 enthusiastic participants ranging from local communal staff, communal comities, zonal chiefs up to the Executive Permanent Secretary and Administrator (Mayor). VNGi’s very own local Country Representative ‘Remy Ndayiragije’ facilitated a part of the training and provided valuable input in order to help set an annual investment plan and an inclusive participatory budget, but also a resource mobilization strategy to improve the functioning of communal land services.

This training is a part of the 2021-2025 "Amahoro @ Scale" programme - implemented by ZOA, MIPAREC and VNG International with funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through RVO (part of the multi country Land-at-Scale program). Practical aim of the Burundian program is to finalize Land Tenure Registration (LTR) in Makamba province. This is a crucial step in preparing the scaling up of LTR at the national level. It provides an opportunity to find solutions to remaining challenges, e.g. developing a financially and technically viable and sustainable model for Services Fonciers Communaux (Communal Land Services) for scaling towards all communes of Burundi. The fully covered province will serve as a proof of concept for the LTR process. Successfully conducting LTR in Nyanza Lac will also show that LTR is possible in very complex contexts.